What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

Do Japanese beetles stay in the grind for several years before emerging? And if so, how many years? In wondering because we has a beetle problem 4 or 5 years ago, but never again since. I'm wondering if this has just been the calm before the storm

Nvm, googled and found out they complete their cycle in one year. Maybe the population just really took a hit. I certainly don't mind.

Oh. I read that they are the grub form underground for up to 3 years before they emerge as beetles. I have seen all sizes of grubs, from teeny to as big around as my finger. They are so ugly!

When I'm digging in the dirt, I have a can that I carry with me to put grubs and other bugs in. I take those to the chickens as well.

I am a one woman JB eradicating force to be reckoned with! I hope to be the reason JBs in our area die out.

 

[BReeder!]

Oh. I read that they are the grub form underground for up to 3 years before they emerge as beetles. I have seen all sizes of grubs, from teeny to as big around as my finger. They are so ugly!

When I'm digging in the dirt, I have a can that I carry with me to put grubs and other bugs in. I take those to the chickens as well.

I am a one woman JB eradicating force to be reckoned with! I hope to be the reason JBs in our area die out.

I too feed grubs to the birds.

 

[Sally PB]

They love the Japanese beetles too! Bugs in, eggs out.

They are easy to catch. Get a wide mouthed container with a lid. Put about 1" of water in the container. Hold the container under whatever plant material the JBs are on, tap the leaf/flower/whatever, and they will fall into the water. Their defense is to let go and fall if they are disturbed. You don't need any soap in the water to break the surface tension; they don't try to fly away. If they look like they might try that, I swirl/shake up the container.

When I "serve" them to the chickens, I dump them into a large pan of water.

I say, "Bug snack! Bug snack!" and the chickens come running!

 

[WthrLady]

Anyone want to make a suggestion for a good sauce tomato?

San Marzano

 

[BReeder!]

Anyone want to make a suggestion for a good sauce tomato?

I'm going to try Amish Paste this year.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'm going to try Amish Paste this year.

I was looking at that one and have considered it

 

[Acre4Me]

The San Mariano produced well for us. And they were not likely to crack either. Once brought inside, they were stable for awhile, so you could potentially pick for a few days to get a big batch, to process.

 

[Acre4Me]

Evening all.

@Acre4Me what kind of netting did you use for row covers? I'm thinking about it for my squash bed this summer, I have plenty of hoops that I use for my hoop houses.

I see some of my seed order have shipped. Too cold out there to be too excited about it. I'm seeing -11 on the news right now for tomorrow (gotta be windchill).

So my plucked chicken grew most of her feathers back so I put them all back together yesterday & promptly saw Green picking at her sister. Looks like Green will be separated for good now, & by herself, I won't put the 'friend' in with her again. She doesn't much mind from what I can tell, she doesn't pace the fence like the other one did or squawk up a storm. Maybe when I integrate the littles in with the big girls in the spring I'll try Green again. Would have been nice, but oh well.

I bought it off Amazon. I think 10’ wide by 12’ or so. needed 2 for my 16’ bed. It was a white grid mesh. Tiny holes, but big enough for sn insect to lay eggs through I think,

 

[TJAnonymous]

The San Mariano produced well for us. And they were not likely to crack either. Once brought inside, they were stable for awhile, so you could potentially pick for a few days to get a big batch, to process.

That was a big problem for me this past year. I would get a few tomatoes at a time. By the time I had a batch of 12 to make salsa, I'd be lucky if half of them weren't rotten.

 

[BReeder!]

That was a big problem for me this past year. I would get a few tomatoes at a time. By the time I had a batch of 12 to make salsa, I'd be lucky if half of them weren't rotten.

You just need more tomato plants!